ABILITIES Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

abilities

noun

plural of ability

as in capabilities

the physical or mental power to do something as a result of the accident the once-vigorous athlete lost the ability to walk

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of abilities This theory is based on our understanding of the abilities of apes, as evidence suggest both chimpanzees and gorillas have gestural communication systems. — Hannah Little, Scientific American, 20 Sep. 2026 Before turning it into a judgment about your abilities, notice what specifically bothered you. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026 Patrick looked unsure of his dad’s abilities in this playful shot shared for Arnold’s 75th birthday in 2022. — Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 The reporter followed up on the initial question, citing a compliment from Flores about Johnson’s abilities. — Alec Lewis, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Guillermo Rodriguez was his charming self on the season 35 premiere of Dancing With the Stars, but apparently the judges could only score him on his technical abilities. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2026 Trump last year directed changes to significantly expand its abilities for mass searches by election officials. — ABC News, 15 Sep. 2026 While some via ferratas cater to expert rock climbers looking for tough challenges, Tahoe’s encourages visitors of all ages and fitness levels to try it out and test their abilities. — Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026 Since the beginning of the year, Google has directed more researchers’ time and computing resources toward improving Gemini’s coding abilities, The Wall Street Journal reported. — Wen Shao, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abilities

Noun

Tulip, a retail customer engagement solution provider, is growing its capabilities.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Their super-thin structure changes how electrons behave, potentially enabling new capabilities in future semiconductor devices.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of capabilities

Noun

That includes supporting candidates while acting in their official capacities.

— Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
But this target will require sustained political will across multiple election cycles, as well as institutional capacities that do not yet fully exist.

— JONAS NAHM, Foreign Affairs, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of capacities

Noun

While the 5-foot-9 McQuillan got to show off her powerful hitting skills to the crowd, she actually was recruited by UConn as a libero.

— Jeff Vorva, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
Similarly, behavioral assessments also shed light on potential weaknesses, such as poor communication skills or a tendency to avoid conflict, which can be addressed proactively.

— Karla Vallecillo, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of skills

Noun

Indeed, San Sebastián has increasingly ramped up its industry activity during Rebordinos’ tenure and the Spanish event is now considered the premiere hub for connecting Europe’s film industry to Latin American cinema and filmmaking talents.

— Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026
Your 5th House of Creativity and Play turns bright, encouraging you to show your talents and enjoy attention that feels supportive, not heavy.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of talents

Noun

The prosecution’s argument Prosecutors argued Clancy was in full control of her faculties at the time of the killings and deliberately planned the murders.

— Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026
Rather than focusing on the mom's faculties, the advisor asked how each family member viewed success across different time horizons.

— Hayley Cuccinello, CNBC, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of faculties

Noun

For this class, the premise is that your purpose in life lies to the intersection of your values, your aptitudes and your interests.

— Dana Taylor, USA Today, 6 May 2026
This model reflects Japan’s long-standing corporate culture, which prioritizes new hires for their general potential—their aptitudes and aspirations, as opposed to their current skill sets or university majors—and then trains them on the job.

— GRACIA LIU-FARRER, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2025

Definition of aptitudes

Noun

Gemma and Richard are composites drawn from our several decades of advising organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to smaller nonprofits on designing interview processes that assess leadership and interpersonal competencies.

— Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 24 Aug. 2026
Experts advocate for a radical redesign, urging boards to prioritize genuine governance competencies and continuous impact measurement, moving away from outdated models that hinder vital community services.

— Aparna Rae, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of competencies

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“Abilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abilities. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of abilities

noun

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